Sega is delisting four classic Sonic games, effectively removing them from digital storefronts on May 20.
The reason is simple: all four games are being remastered and released as part of Sonic Origins, which is launching on June 23 for Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Sonic Origins is a retro compilation that bundles together remastered versions of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic CD. You can get the standard edition for $39.99 or the deluxe edition for $44.99.
Until they're delisted next month, the original games will be available for $5 each on Steam, which means you can buy all four of them individually and pay about half what you would for Sonic Origins, although you wouldn't get all the added goodies included in the collection.
For one, the games are remastered in Sonic Origins, which typically means better visuals and performance. But then there are also new areas to zip through, new animations, and the new anniversary mode, which gives you infinite lives and full-screen resolution. And for the retro faithful, Sonic Origins' classic mode offers the OG experience with limited lives and original presentation. It's worth noting that some of this content, particularly bonus animations and art extras, is locked behind DLC packs which are included in the deluxe edition and also sold separately.
There are some exceptions that will let you buy and play some of the original Sonic games indefinitely. Sonic 1 and 2 will remain available via Sega Ages on the Switch and Sonic 2 will still be included in the Sega Genesis collection on Switch Online Plus, but the other games will become digitally exclusive to Sonic Origins.
You might remember Rockstar doing something similar with the original versions of GTA 1, 2, and 3 ahead of the GTA Trilogy collection. Rockstar ultimately re-released the original PC versions and bundled them in for free with GTA Trilogy, but that seemingly had more to do with the sorry state of the remastered versions than any sort of preservation effort from Rockstar.
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